Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 4919
Location: Barcelona
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Posted: Nov 19, 2012 12:20 Post subject: The amazing Mineral Museum of the University of Delaware |
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This summer, with John White, I had the chance to visit the excellent mineral museum at the University of Delaware. Since then I wanted to share that experience with FMFers and now that finally I have some time I'm ready to do it.
The mineral museum of the University of Delaware is a small museum, almost a "miniature Museum" ;-) but surprisingly outstanding due to the good work of its curators; currently Dr. Sharon Fitzgerald and formerly Dr. Peter Leavens, who was in charge of the museum for 25 years. Dr. Sharon has managed to create an extraordinarily pleasant mineral museum that since its reopening in 2009 has established a well-deserved reputation. The presentation is exceptionally good, one of the best I've ever seen in any museum. The collection, although not represented by a very large number of specimens, is coherent and extremely aesthetic. Also it is fortunate to have among many “killer” specimens one "killer" that particularly appeals to me, a Willemite from Franklin (NJ), which alone justifies a visit to this Museum.
As there are already good reports about the Museum, my intention with this post is just to open a doorway to those other reports, as well as post some pictures of the museum by John White, Dr. Sharon Fitzgerald and Jake Slagle to complete this note. I hope that in reading these reports, the photos that accompany them, and the few photos I post here will serve to give a more complete picture of this amazing museum, located in a place where few would expect such quality. If anyone intends to visit the museum soon, from September 2012 through May 2013 the museum is presenting an exhibition of Rhodochrosites from mines in Colorado, including the famous Sweet Home mine in Alma, the Sunnyside mine, the Moose mine and many others, all from the private collection of Dave Bunk. To learn more about this temporary exhibition click here
The links to learn more about this museum, my suggestions are: the two threads published by Jake Slagle in his mineral blog: University of Delaware Mineralogical Museum: A Private Visit and Delaware Mineralogical Museum Reopens and Delaware Mineralogical Museum Reopen, the (as always) well-photographed and complete thread published by Gail Spann: University of Delaware Museum of Minerals, Gail and Jim Spann visit, and this one from the always didactic John White The Mineralogical Museum at the University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.
To complete the list you can also visit the note published by Jessica Simonoff in Mindat, and for general information about the museum, here and here you have the official information provided by the University of Delaware.
BTW it would be very nice if Jake, Gail, John, Dr. Sharon, Jessica, or someone else has some more images of the museum available and wants to post them here in order to complete this thread. So, please add photos! ;-)
Many thanks to John White and Dr. Sharon Fitzgerald for the revision of the text and for the details
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A giant Danburite from Charcas, Mexico, about 20 cm. tall, slightly pinkish, perfect and awesome!
Photo: John White |
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And a recent addition, one of the now famous Azurites from the Milpillas Mine, Mexico. The size is about 15 cm long and the shape is a wonder.
Photo: University of Delaware |
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And this is a fine Dolomite from the Asturreta Quarry, Eugui, Navarra, Spain. Its pedigree is interesting, it came from Victor Yount, a US dealer who lived in Spain for many years and therefore he got some of the finest Spanish specimens in the seventies and eighties. This one came originally from an engineer at the Eugui Quarry named Córdoba.
Photo: Jake Slagle |
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Description: And what is in my opinion the King of the whole museum, an outstanding Willemite, about 4 cm tall, gemmy, floater, sharp and an unbelievable size for the locality: Franklin! According to Sharon it is a Kunz piece, although she thinks it was bought after Irenée DuPont bought the original collection in 1919, so she would guess that occurred about 1924-26. Palache talks about a find of crystals from there early on and, in my opinion, this is one of the best Willemites from Franklin existing. Congratulations!
Photo: Dr. Sharon Fitzgerald |
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And finally, here you have a shot of poor Sharon Fitzgerald trying to follow my enthusiastic comments about some locality details... ;-)
Photo: John White |
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John S. White
Site Admin
Joined: 04 Sep 2006
Posts: 1297
Location: Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted: Nov 19, 2012 15:19 Post subject: Re: The amazing Mineral Museum of the University of Delaware |
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OFL (our fearless leader) visiting the mineral museum at the University of Delaware (Newark) this summer with me, in short pants. Quelle bêtise!
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_________________ John S. White
aka Rondinaire |
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jakslagle
Joined: 23 Dec 2010
Posts: 6
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
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Posted: Dec 02, 2012 13:32 Post subject: Re: The amazing Mineral Museum of the University of Delaware |
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I was asked to foward some images shot on visits to the Mineral Museum at the University of Delaware. Many were shot through glass rather hurriedly,and none were measured. Rather than try to guess the dimensions relative to labels and position, I'll post some images and leave it to the editors as to which if any are appropriate to show
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Aquamarine Minas Gerais, Brazil If I were to guess, it would be 7cm. x 3 cm., but this could be way off |
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jakslagle
Joined: 23 Dec 2010
Posts: 6
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
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Posted: Dec 03, 2012 17:33 Post subject: Re: The amazing Mineral Museum of the University of Delaware |
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I attempted to post the images to follow yesterday, but could have ultimately failed to submit them . Or it's possible they were rejected because of my guesses regarding the dimensions. I shot them rather hurriedly through glass. If the problem was the former, here's another try.
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Gypsum Red River Floodway, Winnepeg, Manitoba, Canada 7 cm. x 5 cm. (guess) |
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Brucite Woods Chrome Mine, Lancaster Co., PA 6 cm. x 5 cm. |
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Torbernite Musonoi Mine, Kantanga, Democratic Republic of Congo 8 inches x 6 inches (guess) |
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Erythrite Bou Azzer, Morocco 7 cm. x 7 cm. (guess) |
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Anhydrite Mina Siglo XX, Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico 8 inches x 6 inches (guess) |
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Schorl (Tourmaline Group) Spessartine (Garnet Family) Appleton, Cecil County, Maryland Schorl 2.5 " high, Spessartine 1" One of the greatest specimens of anything I've seen out of Maryland. |
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